Glove with memory foam inserts

Abstract

A glove that can be used as a conventional glove, or, alternatively, if the glove is to be used for special purposes, can be modified to include shaped articles comprising yieldably deformable, shaped-inserts of different configuration constructed from foamed cushion material having a memory. These shaped articles can be selectively inserted into strategically located, internal pockets formed internally and externally of the glove. When the shaped-inserts are in position within the pockets of the glove, they provide protection to the hand, provide superior tactile perception and also tend to substantially replicate the surface features exhibited by the device being gripped by the user.

1 . A glove construction comprising:
 (a) a hand covering including a hand-receiving chamber and an article-gripping surface; and   (b) a plurality of spaced-apart, insert-receiving pockets connected to said hand covering for removably receiving shaped articles comprising yieldably deformable shaped-inserts constructed from foamed-cushion material having a memory.   
   
   
       2 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said yieldably deformable, foamed-cushion material comprises resilient, foamed polyurethane. 
   
   
       3 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said article-gripping surface comprises a fabric. 
   
   
       4 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said article-gripping surface comprises leather. 
   
   
       5 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said article-gripping surface comprises canvas. 
   
   
       6 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said article-gripping surface comprises a composite material. 
   
   
       7 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 1  in which said insert-receiving pockets are constructed from a yieldably deformable material so as to be collapsible and expandable. 
   
   
       8 . A glove construction for covering a user's hand including the thumb, fingers comprising:
 (a) a hand covering having an inner surface and an outer surface and including a thumb-receiving portion, an index-finger-receiving portion, a back portion and a palm portion for covering at least the thumb, the index finger, the back and palm portions of the user;   (b) a thumb protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to said thumb-receiving portion of said hand covering for removably receiving an elongated, yieldably deformable thumb protecting shaped-insert constructed from foamed cushion material having a memory;   (c) an index finger protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to said index-finger-receiving portion of said hand covering for removably receiving an index finger protecting elongated, yieldably deformable, shaped-insert constructed from foamed cushion material having a memory;   (d) a palm protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to said palm portion of said hand covering for removably receiving a yieldably deformable palm protecting shaped-insert constructed from foamed-cushion material having a memory; and   (e) a back protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to said palm portion of said hand covering for removably receiving a yieldably deformable back protecting shaped-insert constructed from foamed-cushion material having a memory, including the index finger and palm portions thereof.   
   
   
       9 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 8  in which said yieldably deformable, foamed-cushion material comprises resilient, foamed polyurethane. 
   
   
       10 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 9  in which said insert-receiving pockets are constructed from a yieldably deformable material so as to be collapsible and expandable. 
   
   
       11 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 10  in which said thumb protecting insert-receiving pocket, said index finger protecting insert-receiving pocket insert and said palm protecting insert-receiving pocket are connected to the inner surface of said hand covering. 
   
   
       12 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 10  in which said thumb protecting insert-receiving pocket, said index finger protecting insert-receiving pocket insert and said back protecting insert-receiving pocket are connected to the outer surface of said hand covering. 
   
   
       13 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 10  in which said article-gripping surface comprises a fabric material. 
   
   
       14 . A glove construction for covering a user's hand including the thumb, fingers, including the index finger and palm portions thereof, comprising:
 (a) a hand covering including a thumb-receiving chamber, an index-finger-receiving chamber and a palm chamber disposed proximate a yieldably deformable article-gripping surface covering at least the thumb, the index finger and palm portions of the user;   (b) a first insert-receiving pocket formed within said thumb-receiving chamber for removably receiving an elongated, yieldably deformable first shaped-insert constructed from a resilient, foamed polyurethane material having a memory;   (c) a second insert-receiving pocket formed within said index-finger-receiving chamber for removably receiving a second elongated, yieldably deformable shaped-insert constructed from a foamed polyurethane material having a memory; and   (d) a third insert-receiving pocket formed within said palm chamber for removably receiving a yieldably deformable third shaped-insert constructed from a foamed polyurethane material having a memory.   
   
   
       15 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 14  in which said first, second and third insert-receiving pockets are constructed from a yieldably deformable material so as to be collapsible and expandable. 
   
   
       16 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 15  in which said first and second shaped-inserts are generally semi-circular in cross section. 
   
   
       17 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 16  in which said third shaped-insert is generally rectangular in cross section. 
   
   
       18 . The glove construction as defined in  claim 17  in which said article-gripping surface comprises a latex material. 
   
   
       19 . A method of making a glove for covering a user's hand that comprises a hand covering having an inner surface and an outer surface and including a thumb portion and an index-finger portion; a thumb protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the inner surface of the hand covering; a thumb protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the outer surface of the hand covering; an index finger protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the inner surface of the hand covering; and an index finger protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the outer surface of the hand covering; said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) selecting from a plurality of elongated, yieldably deformable thumb protecting cushioning inserts a thumb protecting cushioning insert;   (b) inserting said selected thumb protecting cushioning insert into a selected one of said thumb protecting insert-receiving pockets;   (c) selecting from a plurality of elongated, yieldably deformable index-finger protecting cushioning inserts an index-finger protecting cushioning insert; and   (d) inserting said selected index-finger protecting cushioning insert into a selected one out of said index-finger protecting insert-receiving pockets.   
   
   
       20 . The method as defined in  claim 19  in which said hand covering further includes a palm portion and a back portion, a palm protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the inner surface of the palm portion of the hand covering; and a back protecting insert-receiving pocket connected to the outer surface of the back portion of the hand covering and in which said method comprises the further steps of inserting a palm protecting cushioning insert into the palm protecting insert-receiving pocket and inserting a back protecting cushioning insert into the back protecting insert-receiving pocket.